One of the things that’s easy to appreciate about the modern TV market is that the category is more-or-less anyone’s game outside of the more premium side of the market.
Sure, there’s the larger battle between OLED and quantum-dot-powered displays to consider. However, at the lower end of the market, brand doesn’t matter quite as much.
Like many of the best things in life, people know a good TV when they see it. This is probably why Bauhn TVs have found so much local success in recent years and why the feature-loaded (and Tempo-distributed) Hitachi Series 6 might just strike a similar chord.
On paper, the Series 6 (also known as the 6600 Series) arrives in three sizes and boasts a slim design with minimal bezel along with support for both Ultra 4K and HDR10 content. There’s even a degree of smarts in the mix and a dedicated Netflix button on the remote.
Though the Series 6 is up against a number of similarly priced TVs from bigger brands. However, a lot of these rivals don’t carry quite the breadth of compatibility you’ll find here. While video content watched on the Series 6 looked pretty crisp and bright for the most part. The TV features a 4000:1 contrast ratio but we notice a little bit of murkiness when it came to darker scenes.
Though it comes capable of Ultra 4K upscaling, making the most of the Series 6’s certifications will require you to find HDR10 content. This can be done through Netflix and most major UHD Blu-Ray releases these days. HDR10 is the more popular open source standard for high-dynamic range at this stage and the only HDR content you’re really locked out is stuff tied to Dolby Vision. Basically, it does what it says on the box. Nothing more, nothing less.
Jumping right into the smarter side of things, this aspect of the Series 6 is a little more of a mixed-bag. The remote itself felt a little too large when held and cumbersome to use for longer periods of time. What’s on offer here isn’t exactly the worst Smart TV we’ve spent time with but it didn’t do much to win us over. It’s an aspect of the TV that you’ll probably appreciate over a bog-standard remote menu but want to actually use as little as possible.
The app store involved is reasonably user-friendly but there’s not a lot going on there beyond Sodoku and solitaire. It didn’t help that we often found ourselves having to press buttons on the remote twice in order for them to be recognized. Unfortunately, this unresponsiveness makes even basic Youtube or app searches a more sluggish and draining endeavor than it needs to be.
Thankfully, the remote does feature a dedicated set of Netflix and Youtube buttons – allowing you to bypass at least some of this messiness. It’s easy to jump right into the latest shows but a little more vexing if you want to search for something.
Still, the trimmed-down design give the Series 6 a compelling enough visual profile. Essentially, it’s slim wherever it can afford to be and while it gives a somewhat-irregular shape, it makes for a pretty good piece – particularly, if wall-mounted.
It feels like it’s fair to say that if the Bauhn’s recent Black Series is the gateway upgrade to beat for 4K, the Hitachi Series 6 is a strong contender when it comes to HDR – in spite of its issues. It’s by no means a best-case scenario but there’s still some value to be found here if you’re looking to jump into the world of HDR.
The Hitachi Series 6 UHD LCD LED TV range is available in three sizes. The 49-inch model is priced at an RRP of $1199, the 55-inch model is priced at $1499 and $2399 will net you the 65-inch variant.
